Face fly screen

ABSTRACT

A face fly screen having an improved rigging comprised of a browband, a nose web secured to and extending downwardly and forwardly from the browband, a headstall adjustably connected at its ends to respective ends of the browband, a nose rope coupled to the forward end of the nose web, and a cheek rope coupled to the ends of the browband. The ends of the nose and the cheek ropes are adapted to be coupled together such as by being tied together, in the throat latch region of a horse with the length of the nose web being sufficient to position the nose rope forwardly of and in proximity to the laterally projecting cheekbones of a horse when the rigging is mounted on the head of the horse. The headstall has an S-shaped extension which frictionally engages the adjacent end of the browband to releasably maintain the headstall at a fixed length. A number of strands are secured to and are suspended from the browband to cover the face of the horse yet allow the latter to see through the strands when the rigging is mounted on the head of the horse.

United States Patent 1 Hadley 1 Dec. 18,1973

[76] Inventor:

[ FACE FLY SCREEN Willis Hadley, PO. Box 297, Ferndale, Calif. 95536 [22] Filed: Feb. 4, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 223,485

Primary Examiner-Hugh R. Chamblee ArtorneyStephen S. Townsend et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT A face fly screen having an improved rigging comprised of a browband, a nose web secured to and extending downwardly and forwardly from the browband, a headstall adjustably connected at its ends to respective ends of the browband, a nose rope coupled to the forward end of the nose web, and a check rope coupled to the ends of the browband. The ends of the nose and the cheek ropes are adapted to be coupled together such as by being tied together, in the throat latch region of a horse with the length of the nose web being sufficient to position the nose rope forwardly of and in proximity to the laterally projecting cheekbones of a horse when the rigging is mounted on the head of the horse. The headstall has an S-shaped extension which frictionally engages the adjacent end of the browband to releasably maintain the headstall at a fixed length. A number of strands are secured to and are suspended from the browband to cover the face of the horse yet allow the latter to see through the strands when the rigging is mounted on the head of the horse.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures FACE FLY SCREEN This invention relates to improvements in face fly screens for animals and, more particularly, to a face fly screen having an improved, simplified rigging and being suitable for use with horses.

The face fly screen of this invention has an improved rigging adapted to be placed on the horses head so as to position a plurality of suspended strands directly in front of the eyes and on the face of the horse to protect against flies and other insects, yet allow the horses to see through the strands. The rigging is simple in construction and can be readily placed on and down off of the head of the horse. It is constructed to provide a comfortable fit for the head of the horse and to resist movement relative to the head yet it is provided with means which can be adjusted to assure the proper fit on the head.

The rigging includes a browband to which the strands are coupled, a nose web which extends forwardly from the browband and whose length is sufficient to permit a nose rope, coupled with the forward end of the nose web, to be wrapped about the head of the horse forwardly of the projecting cheekbones thereof to maintain the rigging against movement of the head yet provide a comfortable fit for the horse. The rigging further includes a headstall having ends which are adjustably coupled to the ends of the browband withthe headstall being of a length to fit snuggly over the top of the head of the horse. The length of the headstall can be adjusted to assure the snug fit before the nose and cheek ropes of the rigging are coupled together, such as being tied in a square knot in the throat latch region of the horse.

The primary objective of this invention is to provide an improved face fly screen for an animal wherein the face fly screen is simple in construction, can be adjusted as necessary to provide a snug fit on the head of an animal, yet is made to avoid movement on the head and to thereby render it comfortable to the animal when it is used.

Another objective of this invention is to provide a face fly screen of the type described wherein the face fly screen has an improved adjustment means at the opposed ends of a browband so that the length of the headstall of the rigging of the face fly screen can be adjusted in length to provide a snug fit to thereby assure that there will be no substantial movement of the rigging once it has been placed on the head of an animal.

A further objective of this invention is to provide a face fly screen of the aforesaid character wherein the rigging thereof has a nose web coupled to a nose rope and being of a length sufficient to position the nose rope in the depression formed by the prominent lower edge of each cheekbone of the head so as to prevent the browband from being rubbed up and over the ears of the animal.

Other objectives of this invention will become apparent as the following specification progresses, reference being made to the accompanying drawing for an illustration of the invention.

IN THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the face fly screen of this invention, showing it mounted on the head of a horse;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. I but looking in a different direction toward the head of a horse;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the rigging of the face fly screen;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view of the adjustment means at each end of the browband of the rigging; and I FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the knot formed when the nose and cheek ropes of the rigging are tied together.

IN THE SPECIFICATION The face fly screen of this invention is broadly denoted by the numeral 10 and is especially adapted for use with a horse. Face fly screen 10 is shown in an operative position on the head of a horse 11 in FIGS. 1 and 2, the purpose of the face fly screen being, of course, to protect the face of the horse from the annoyance of flies and other insects.

Face fly screen 10 is comprised of a rigging 12 formed of a browband 14, a headstall rope 16, a nose web 18, a nose rope 20 and a cheek rope 22. Browband 14 is a flat strip of flexible material which is disposed to engage the forehead of the horse below the ears. Headstall rope 16 is integral with cheek rope 22 and is adapted to extend across the top of the head behind the ears. Nose web 18 is a flat strip of material, such as the same material as the browband, and is adapted to extend forwardly and downwardly along the face of the horse. Nose rope 20 is adapted to be wrapped around the front portion of the head and in the depressions formed by the prominent lower edges of the cheekbones 24 (FIG. 1). The browband and nose web may be of any suitable material, such as leather, canvas or the like.

The upper end of the nose web is secured in any suitable manner to the central part of the browband. The lower end of the nose web has a loop 26 through which the nose rope extends.

Each end of the browband has 3 generally parallel passages 28, 30, and 32 therethrough by means of which the ends of the headstall rope 16 can be adjustably held in place. The passages are formed in the ends of the browband by doubling over the material of the browband at each end and forming 3 lines of switching 34, as shown in FIG. 4. Each end of the headstall is then directed first through passage 28, then through passage 30, and finally through passage 32 so as to define an S- shaped extension 36 for the end of the headstall rope. Extension 36 frictionally engages the inner surfaces of the browband forming the passages so that the extension is releasably held in place in the passages. To adjust the length of the headstall rope. extension 36 is pulled in the proper direction or directions relative to the passages to shorten or lengthen the headstall rope. Once this length is set, each extension 36 remains in a fixed position in the corresponding passages 28, 30, and 32.

The ends of the cheek rope are adapted to be coupled to the ends of the nose rope to complete the placement of rigging 12 on the face of the horse. For purposes of illustration, these rope ends are tied in a square knot 38 well up in the throat latch region of the horse as shown in FIG. 2. When the knot is so placed, nose web 18 and nose rope 20 are positioned such that the nose rope adheres to the depression formed by the prominent lower, front edge of the cheekbones 24 of the horse. With the nose rope so positioned, the browband will resist being rubbed up and over the ears while enabling headstall rope 16 to resist being rubbed downwardly and forwardly over the ears.

With face fly screen on the head of a horse, rigging 12 will provide a snug fit therefor and will be of a size and proportion to flt a particular horse head. The length of the nose rope is, of course, adjustable by virtue of its being coupled by knot 38 to cheek rope 22 in the throat latch region of the horse.

Rigging 12 serves as a platform to suspend a plurality of strands 40 which are adapted to protect the face of the horse from flies and other insects. The strands are secured at their upper ends in any suitable manner to browband 14 and are of differing lengths as shown in FIG. 1. On a face fly screen of proper fit, the longest strands terminate about 1 inch above the horses nostrils.

In placing the face fly screen on the head of a horse rigging 12 is slid slowly up the horses neck and across the face of the horse until the space between the browband and the headstall rope is above the ears. Then the rigging is lowered, causing the ears to be received within the space between the headstall and the browband and until the nose web lays flat along the forepart of the horses face. Then, headstall rope 16 is adjusted and evened up so that its length will be such that the ends of the browband are located approximately in the regions behind and below the balls of the ears as shown in FIG. 2. Nose web 18 is then centered and the ends of nose rope 20 are drawn rearwardly and tied to the ends of the cheek rope in the throat latch region so as to form knot 38. The ropes generally are snug, one finger tight, so that there will be no pinching. The horses is able to see by having his eyes next to strands 40. The strandsare located and attributed lengths such that tangling with any part of the rigging is minimal and face fly screen 10 can be worn satisfactorily by horses even when they are grazing around dense brush. The strands can be treated to preserve the same and to deter other horses from chewing them.

I claim:

1. A face fly screen for an animal comprising: a rigging including a browband having a pair of opposed ends, a nose web secured at one end thereof to the browbandintermediate ends of the latter and-extending forwardly and downwardly therefrom, a headstall rope, means on the ends of the browband adjustably coupling the ends of the headstall rope thereto, a cheek rope coupled to the ends of the browband and extending downwardly therefrom, a nose rope coupled to the forward end of the nose web and having a length sufficient to permit it to be releasably coupled to the lower ends of the cheek rope, whereby the rigging can be coupled to the face of the animal; and a number of individual strands secured to and suspended from the browband at a number of locations along the latter.

2. A face fly screen as set forth in claim 1, wherein the headstall and cheek ropes are integral with each other.

3. A face fly screen as set forth in claim 1, wherein the length of the nose web is sufficient to permit the nose rope toengage the head of the horse in the depressions formed by the prominent lower edges of the cheekbones of the animal when the ends of the nose rope are coupled to the ends of the cheek rope in the throat latch region of the animal.

4. A face fly screen as set forth in claim 1, wherein the forward end of the nose web is provided with a loop, the nose rope extending through said loop.

5. A face fly screen as set forth in claim 1, wherein the length of the browband is sufficient to place the ends thereof rearwardly of and below the base of the ears of the animal when the rigging is mounted thereon and when the ends of the nose and cheek ropes are coupled together in the throat latch region of the animal.

6. A face fly screen for a horse comprising: a rigging including a browband, a nose web, a headstall rope, a nose rope and a cheek rope, the nose web being secured at one end thereof to the browband intermediate ends of the latter and extending downwardly and forwardly therefrom, the headstall rope having a pair of opposed extensions, each end of the browband having at least three transverse passages, each extension being received within and extending through the passages at a respective end of the browband with the extension being in frictional engagement therewith, the cheek rope being integral with said extensions and extending downwardly therefrom, the forward end of the nose web having a loop, the nose rope extending through the loop, the length of the nose web being the nose rope to be received in the depressions formed by the prominent lower edges of the cheekbones of the horse; and a num ber of strands secured to and suspended from the browband at a number of locations along the latter.

7. A face fly screen for an animal comprising: a rigging including a browband having a pair of opposed ends, a nose web secured at one end thereof to the browband intermediate ends of the latter and extending forwardly and downwardly therefrom, a headstall rope, said browband having a number ofgenerally parallel, transverse passages therein at each end thereof, a portion of the headstall rope extending through each passage to form an S-shaped extension, said extension being in frictional engagement with the browband on the inner surfaces of the corresponding passage thereof, whereby the headstall rope is adjustably connected to respective ends of the browband, a check rope coupled to the ends of the browband and extending downwardly therefrom, a nose rope coupled to the forward end of the nose web and having a length sufficient to permit it to be releasably coupled to the lower ends of the cheek rope, whereby the rigging can be coupled to the face of the animal; and a number of individual strands secured to and suspended from the browband at a number of locations along the latter. 

1. A face fly screen for an animal comprising: a rigging including a browband having a pair of opposed ends, a nose web secured at one end thereof to the browband intermediate ends of the latter and extending forwardly and downwardly therefrom, a headstall rope, means on the ends of the browband adjustably coupling the ends of the headstall rope thereto, a cheek rope coupled to the ends of the browband and extending downwardly therefrom, a nose rope coupled to the forward end of the nose web and having a length sufficient to permit it to be releasably coupled to the lower ends of the cheek rope, whereby the rigging can be coupled to the face of the animal; and a number of individual strands secured to and suspended from the browband at a number of locations along the latter.
 2. A face fly screen as set forth in claim 1, wherein the headstall and cheek ropes are integral with each other.
 3. A face fly screen as set forth in claim 1, wherein the length of the nose web is sufficient to permit the nose rope to engage the head of the horse in the depressions formed by the prominent lower edges of the cheekbones of the animal when the ends of the nose rope are coupled to the ends of the cheek rope in the throat latch region of the animal.
 4. A face fly screen as set forth in claim 1, wherein the forward end of the nose web is provided with a loop, the nose rope extending through said loop.
 5. A face fly screen as set forth in claim 1, wherein the length of the browband is sufficient to place the ends thereof rearwardly of and below the base of the ears of the animal when the rigging is mounted thereon and when the ends of the nose and cheek ropes are coupled together in the throat latch region of the animal.
 6. A face fly screen for a horse comprising: a rigging including a browband, a nose web, a headstall rope, a nose rope and a cheek rope, the nose web being secured at one end thereof to The browband intermediate ends of the latter and extending downwardly and forwardly therefrom, the headstall rope having a pair of opposed extensions, each end of the browband having at least three transverse passages, each extension being received within and extending through the passages at a respective end of the browband with the extension being in frictional engagement therewith, the cheek rope being integral with said extensions and extending downwardly therefrom, the forward end of the nose web having a loop, the nose rope extending through the loop, the length of the nose web being the nose rope to be received in the depressions formed by the prominent lower edges of the cheekbones of the horse; and a number of strands secured to and suspended from the browband at a number of locations along the latter.
 7. A face fly screen for an animal comprising: a rigging including a browband having a pair of opposed ends, a nose web secured at one end thereof to the browband intermediate ends of the latter and extending forwardly and downwardly therefrom, a headstall rope, said browband having a number of generally parallel, transverse passages therein at each end thereof, a portion of the headstall rope extending through each passage to form an S-shaped extension, said extension being in frictional engagement with the browband on the inner surfaces of the corresponding passage thereof, whereby the headstall rope is adjustably connected to respective ends of the browband, a cheek rope coupled to the ends of the browband and extending downwardly therefrom, a nose rope coupled to the forward end of the nose web and having a length sufficient to permit it to be releasably coupled to the lower ends of the cheek rope, whereby the rigging can be coupled to the face of the animal; and a number of individual strands secured to and suspended from the browband at a number of locations along the latter. 